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About emphysema. Emphysema: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Options for Chronic Lung Disease

What are the key symptoms of emphysema. How is emphysema diagnosed and staged. What causes emphysema and who is at risk. What treatment options are available for managing emphysema. How does emphysema impact quality of life and long-term outlook.

Understanding Emphysema: A Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Emphysema is a progressive lung condition that falls under the umbrella of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is characterized by damage to the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs, leading to breathing difficulties and other respiratory issues. Emphysema affects millions of people worldwide, with approximately 3.8 million individuals diagnosed in the United States alone.

The condition develops gradually over time, often as a result of long-term exposure to irritants such as cigarette smoke. As the disease progresses, it can significantly impact a person’s quality of life and overall health. While there is no cure for emphysema, various treatment options are available to manage symptoms and slow the progression of the disease.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Emphysema

Identifying the symptoms of emphysema early can lead to better management and improved outcomes. What are the primary signs of emphysema? The key symptoms include:

  • Shortness of breath (dyspnea), especially during physical activity
  • Chronic cough, often producing mucus
  • Wheezing or whistling sound when breathing
  • Chest tightness

As the condition progresses, these symptoms may worsen and become noticeable even during periods of rest. In advanced stages, individuals with emphysema may experience:

  • Frequent lung infections and exacerbations
  • Weight loss and reduced appetite
  • Fatigue and decreased energy levels
  • Cyanosis (blue-tinged lips or fingernail beds) due to lack of oxygen
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Sleep disturbances

Stages of Emphysema: Understanding Disease Progression

How is emphysema staged? The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) has established a staging system for COPD, including emphysema. This system is based on a combination of factors, including airflow limitation, symptoms, and exacerbations. The primary measure used is the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), which is assessed through a breathing test.

The stages of emphysema are as follows:

  1. Stage 1 (Very mild): FEV1 is about 80% of normal
  2. Stage 2 (Moderate): FEV1 is 50-80% of normal
  3. Stage 3 (Severe): FEV1 is 30-50% of normal
  4. Stage 4 (Very severe): FEV1 is less than 30% of normal

It’s important to note that while these stages help describe the condition’s severity, they cannot predict life expectancy. Healthcare providers may use additional tests to gain a more comprehensive understanding of an individual’s condition and prognosis.

Causes and Risk Factors for Emphysema

What causes emphysema? The primary cause of emphysema is long-term exposure to airborne irritants that damage lung tissue. The most significant risk factor is cigarette smoking, accounting for the majority of cases. However, it’s crucial to understand that up to 25% of people with COPD, including emphysema, have never smoked.

Other potential causes and risk factors include:

  • Genetic factors, such as alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
  • Exposure to secondhand smoke
  • Occupational exposure to pollutants and dust
  • Air pollution
  • Use of biomass fuels for cooking and heating
  • Small airways in proportion to lung size (a physiological factor)

It’s worth noting that not all smokers develop emphysema, suggesting that genetic susceptibility may play a role in determining who develops the condition. Emphysema is not contagious and cannot be transmitted from person to person.

Treatment Options for Managing Emphysema

While there is no cure for emphysema, various treatment options are available to manage symptoms, slow disease progression, and improve quality of life. What are the main approaches to treating emphysema?

Medications

The primary medications used in emphysema treatment are inhaled bronchodilators. These drugs help relax and open the airways, making breathing easier. Common types of bronchodilators include:

  • Beta-agonists: These medications relax bronchial smooth muscle and aid in mucus clearance
  • Anticholinergics: These drugs help prevent bronchoconstriction
  • Corticosteroids: Used to reduce inflammation in the airways

Oxygen Therapy

For individuals with severe emphysema and low blood oxygen levels, supplemental oxygen can provide significant benefits. Oxygen therapy can help improve exercise capacity, reduce shortness of breath, and enhance overall quality of life.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation programs combine exercise training, nutrition counseling, and education to help individuals with emphysema manage their condition more effectively. These programs can improve exercise tolerance, reduce symptoms, and enhance overall well-being.

Lifestyle Changes

Quitting smoking is crucial for individuals with emphysema who still smoke. Smoking cessation can significantly slow the progression of the disease and improve lung function. Other lifestyle changes may include:

  • Avoiding exposure to secondhand smoke and other air pollutants
  • Maintaining a healthy diet
  • Engaging in regular, moderate exercise as tolerated
  • Managing stress through relaxation techniques

Surgical Interventions

In severe cases of emphysema, surgical options may be considered. These can include:

  • Lung volume reduction surgery: Removing damaged lung tissue to allow healthier tissue to function more efficiently
  • Bullectomy: Removal of large air spaces (bullae) that form in the lungs
  • Lung transplantation: Reserved for the most severe cases where other treatments have been ineffective

Living with Emphysema: Coping Strategies and Quality of Life

How does emphysema impact daily life, and what strategies can help individuals cope with the condition? Living with emphysema can be challenging, but there are several ways to maintain a good quality of life:

  • Adhering to prescribed treatment plans and medications
  • Participating in pulmonary rehabilitation programs
  • Joining support groups to connect with others facing similar challenges
  • Practicing good hygiene to prevent respiratory infections
  • Learning and using breathing techniques to manage shortness of breath
  • Pacing activities and conserving energy
  • Maintaining a positive outlook and focusing on achievable goals

It’s important for individuals with emphysema to work closely with their healthcare providers to develop a comprehensive management plan tailored to their specific needs and circumstances.

Emphysema and COVID-19: Special Considerations

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised particular concerns for individuals with emphysema and other respiratory conditions. What precautions should people with emphysema take during the pandemic? The Emphysema Foundation of America recommends the following measures:

  • Practicing rigorous hand hygiene and encouraging others to do the same
  • Avoiding contact with individuals who may have been exposed to the virus
  • Regularly disinfecting frequently touched surfaces
  • Wearing face coverings in public places
  • Avoiding crowded gatherings
  • Maintaining at least a 30-day supply of medications
  • Stocking up on household necessities
  • Ensuring a stable oxygen supply (for those on oxygen therapy)
  • Developing a plan in case of illness

It’s crucial for individuals with emphysema to be familiar with the symptoms of COVID-19, which can resemble those of COPD exacerbations. Any unusual symptoms or high fever should prompt immediate contact with a healthcare provider.

Research and Future Directions in Emphysema Treatment

What does the future hold for emphysema treatment and management? Ongoing research in the field of COPD and emphysema is focused on several promising areas:

  • Development of new bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory medications
  • Exploration of stem cell therapies to regenerate damaged lung tissue
  • Investigation of gene therapies to address genetic risk factors
  • Improvement of lung volume reduction techniques, including minimally invasive options
  • Advancement in portable oxygen delivery systems for greater mobility
  • Research into the role of the microbiome in COPD and potential therapeutic interventions

These research efforts aim to improve treatment outcomes, enhance quality of life, and potentially develop approaches to reverse lung damage in individuals with emphysema.

As our understanding of emphysema continues to evolve, it’s crucial for patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers to stay informed about the latest developments in diagnosis, treatment, and management strategies. By working together and leveraging advances in medical science, we can strive to improve outcomes and quality of life for those affected by this chronic lung condition.

Symptoms, stages, causes, treatments, and outlook

Emphysema is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that causes coughing and breathing difficulties. It occurs when air sacs in the lung sustain damage or stretch.

Smoking is the most common cause of emphysema, but other factors can also cause it. There is currently no cure, but quitting smoking can help improve the outlook.

In the United States, around 3.8 million people (1.5% of the population) have received a diagnosis of emphysema. In 2017, 7,085 people (2.2 people in every 100,000) died with the condition.

Keep reading to learn more about emphysema, including the causes, symptoms, and treatment options.

Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). With emphysema, lung tissue loses elasticity, and the air sacs and alveoli in the lungs become larger.

The walls of the air sacs break down or are destroyed, narrowed, collapsed, stretched, or over-inflated. This means that there is a smaller surface area for the lungs to take oxygen into the blood and remove carbon dioxide from the body.

This damage is permanent and irreversible, but there are ways of managing the condition.

The key symptoms of emphysema include:

  • shortness of breath, or dyspnea
  • a chronic cough that produces mucus
  • wheezing and a whistling or squeaky sound when breathing
  • tightness in the chest

At first, a person may notice these symptoms during physical exertion. However, as the condition progresses, they can also start to happen during rest.

Emphysema and COPD develop over a number of years.

In the later stages, a person may have:

  • frequent lung infections and flare-ups
  • worsening symptoms, including shortness of breath, mucus production, and wheezing
  • weight loss and reduced appetite
  • fatigue and a loss of energy
  • blue-tinged lips or fingernail beds, or cyanosis, due to a lack of oxygen
  • anxiety and depression
  • sleep problems

Learn more about late stage COPD here.

The Emphysema Foundation of America have expressed concern about how COVID-19 might affect people with emphysema.

They urge people with COPD to familiarize themselves with the symptoms of COVID-19. These can resemble the symptoms of COPD and emphysema. A person should contact their doctor if they have any unusual symptoms or a high fever.

They recommend taking full precautions to avoid exposure to the virus, including:

  • frequently washing the hands and encouraging others to do the same
  • avoiding people who may have had contact with the virus
  • frequently wiping surfaces
  • wearing a face covering such as a mask in public places
  • avoiding crowded gatherings

They also advise:

  • maintaining at least a 30-day supply of medication
  • keeping a stock of household necessities, including food and other basics
  • checking with local providers about plans to maintain oxygen supplies
  • making a plan in case of sickness

Learn more about CODID-19 and COPD here.

The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease sets out the stages of COPD.

Generally, the stages are based on a combination of airflow limitation, symptoms, and exacerbations.

A doctor can use a breathing test to measure lung capacity. The test measures the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1).

Based on FEV1, the stages are as follows:

  • Very mild, or stage 1: FEV1 is about 80% of normal.
  • Moderate, or stage 2: FEV1 is 50–80% of normal.
  • Severe, or stage 3: FEV1 is 30–50% of normal.
  • Very severe, or stage 4: FEV1 is less than 30% of normal.

The stages help describe the condition, but they cannot predict how long a person is likely to survive. Doctors can carry out other tests to learn more about how serious a person’s condition is.

In most cases, emphysema and COPD result from cigarette smoking. However, up to 25% of people with COPD have never smoked.

Other causes appear to be genetic factors, such as an alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and exposure to environmental irritants, including secondhand smoke, workplace pollutants, air pollution, and biomass fuels.

People with small airways in proportion to their lung size may be more at risk than those with wider airways, according to a 2020 study.

In addition, not all people who smoke develop emphysema. It may be that genetic factors make some people more susceptible to the condition.

Emphysema is not contagious. One person cannot catch it from another.

Treatment cannot cure emphysema, but it can help:

  • slow the progress of the condition
  • manage the symptoms
  • prevent complications
  • boost a person’s overall health and well-being

Supportive therapy includes oxygen therapy and help with quitting smoking.

The sections below will look at some specific treatment options in more detail.

Drug therapies

The main medications for emphysema are inhaled bronchodilators, which can help relieve symptoms. They relax and open the airways, making it easier for a person to breathe.

The inhaler delivers the following bronchodilators:

  • beta-agonists, which relax bronchial smooth muscle and help clear mucus
  • anticholinergics, or antimuscarinics, such as albuterol (Ventolin), which relax bronchial smooth muscle
  • inhaled steroids, such as fluticasone, which help reduce inflammation

If a person uses them regularly, these options can improve lung function and increase exercise capacity.

There are short-acting and long-acting drugs, and people can combine them. Treatment may also change over time and as the condition progresses.

Lifestyle therapies

People can take steps to manage their symptoms, improve their quality of life, and slow the progression of emphysema. The sooner a person takes these steps, the more helpful they will be.

Some things to try include:

  • quitting or avoiding smoking
  • avoiding places where there are air pollutants, if possible
  • following or developing an exercise program
  • consuming a healthful diet
  • drinking plenty of water, to loosen mucus and help keep the airways open
  • breathing through the nose in cold weather or using a face covering to keep out cold air
  • practicing diaphragmatic breathing, pursed-lip breathing, and deep breathing

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program of care that encourages people with emphysema to learn about and manage their condition. There is a focus on developing and maintaining healthful lifestyle choices.

Making these changes may not alter the overall course of the condition, but it can help people manage the symptoms, improve their exercise capacity, and boost their quality of life.

People should also ensure that they meet with their healthcare provider regularly and receive their routine vaccinations, including those for flu and pneumonia.

Oxygen therapy

In time, breathing can become more difficult, and a person may need oxygen therapy some or all of the time. Some people use oxygen overnight, for example.

Various devices are available, including large tanks for home use and portable oxygen kits for traveling.

People should discuss the most suitable options with their healthcare provider.

Surgery

People with severe emphysema may sometimes need to undergo surgery to remove damaged lung tissue and reduce large spaces that develop in the lungs due to the condition.

Transplantation of one or both lungs can improve a person’s quality of life. However, there are some risks involved, such as the chance of infection.

A healthcare provider will help the person decide whether or not surgery is a good idea for them.

Treating exacerbations

Other treatment options can help during a flare-up or if complications arise. These options may include:

  • oxygen therapy, to relieve worsening symptoms
  • antibiotics, to treat a bacterial infection
  • corticosteroid drugs, to reduce inflammation
  • other medications, to relieve severe coughing and pain

The outlook for a person with emphysema will depend on individual factors and how well they manage their condition. It takes several years to progress to the final stages of COPD or emphysema, but lifestyle factors play a role.

Quitting smoking can significantly improve the outlook. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, COPD can progress quickly in people with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency who also smoke.

Research suggests that for those who have never smoked, COPD will modestly reduce their life span. People who do smoke, however, can expect their life span to be significantly shorter.

Emphysema and COPD affect not only life span, but also a person’s quality of life. Taking lifestyle measures to manage the condition can help a person maintain a good quality of life for longer.

How does COPD affect life expectancy? Learn more here.

Emphysema is a type of COPD, and there are different types of emphysema, depending on which part of the lungs it affects.

These are:

  • paraseptal emphysema
  • centrilobular emphysema, which affects mainly the upper lobes and is most common in people who smoke
  • panlobular emphysema, which affects both the paraseptal and centrilobular areas of the lungs

During diagnosis, a CT scan can show which type of emphysema is present. The type does not affect the outlook and treatment.

A doctor will carry out a physical examination and ask about the person’s symptoms, lifestyle habits, and medical history.

They may also recommend tests to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other conditions.

If the person has never smoked but appears to have emphysema, the doctor may suggest testing for an alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

The following sections will look at some diagnostic tests for emphysema in more detail.

Lung function tests

Lung function tests measure the lungs’ capacity to exchange respiratory gases. They can:

  • confirm a diagnosis of emphysema
  • monitor disease progression
  • assess response to treatment

Spirometry is one type of lung function test. It assesses airflow obstruction by measuring FEV.

For this test, a person blows as fast and hard as they can into a tube. The tube is attached to a machine that measures the volume and speed of the air that they blow out. FEV1 determines the stages of emphysema.

Other tests

Other tests include imaging, such as a chest X-ray or CT scan of the lungs, and arterial blood gas analysis, to assess oxygen exchange and carbon dioxide levels.

Avoiding or quitting smoking is the best way to prevent emphysema from developing or getting worse.

Other strategies include:

  • eating a healthful diet
  • establishing and maintaining a moderate weight
  • avoiding air pollution, if possible
  • taking steps to prevent infection, such as receiving routine vaccinations

Emphysema involves irreversible damage to the lungs, which can eventually be life threatening. It mostly affects people who smoke, but people who do not smoke can develop it, too.

Seeking early treatment and taking measures to manage the condition can help enhance a person’s health and well-being and may improve their life span.

Symptoms, stages, causes, treatments, and outlook

Emphysema is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that causes coughing and breathing difficulties. It occurs when air sacs in the lung sustain damage or stretch.

Smoking is the most common cause of emphysema, but other factors can also cause it. There is currently no cure, but quitting smoking can help improve the outlook.

In the United States, around 3.8 million people (1.5% of the population) have received a diagnosis of emphysema. In 2017, 7,085 people (2.2 people in every 100,000) died with the condition.

Keep reading to learn more about emphysema, including the causes, symptoms, and treatment options.

Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). With emphysema, lung tissue loses elasticity, and the air sacs and alveoli in the lungs become larger.

The walls of the air sacs break down or are destroyed, narrowed, collapsed, stretched, or over-inflated. This means that there is a smaller surface area for the lungs to take oxygen into the blood and remove carbon dioxide from the body.

This damage is permanent and irreversible, but there are ways of managing the condition.

The key symptoms of emphysema include:

  • shortness of breath, or dyspnea
  • a chronic cough that produces mucus
  • wheezing and a whistling or squeaky sound when breathing
  • tightness in the chest

At first, a person may notice these symptoms during physical exertion. However, as the condition progresses, they can also start to happen during rest.

Emphysema and COPD develop over a number of years.

In the later stages, a person may have:

  • frequent lung infections and flare-ups
  • worsening symptoms, including shortness of breath, mucus production, and wheezing
  • weight loss and reduced appetite
  • fatigue and a loss of energy
  • blue-tinged lips or fingernail beds, or cyanosis, due to a lack of oxygen
  • anxiety and depression
  • sleep problems

Learn more about late stage COPD here.

The Emphysema Foundation of America have expressed concern about how COVID-19 might affect people with emphysema.

They urge people with COPD to familiarize themselves with the symptoms of COVID-19. These can resemble the symptoms of COPD and emphysema. A person should contact their doctor if they have any unusual symptoms or a high fever.

They recommend taking full precautions to avoid exposure to the virus, including:

  • frequently washing the hands and encouraging others to do the same
  • avoiding people who may have had contact with the virus
  • frequently wiping surfaces
  • wearing a face covering such as a mask in public places
  • avoiding crowded gatherings

They also advise:

  • maintaining at least a 30-day supply of medication
  • keeping a stock of household necessities, including food and other basics
  • checking with local providers about plans to maintain oxygen supplies
  • making a plan in case of sickness

Learn more about CODID-19 and COPD here.

The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease sets out the stages of COPD.

Generally, the stages are based on a combination of airflow limitation, symptoms, and exacerbations.

A doctor can use a breathing test to measure lung capacity. The test measures the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1).

Based on FEV1, the stages are as follows:

  • Very mild, or stage 1: FEV1 is about 80% of normal.
  • Moderate, or stage 2: FEV1 is 50–80% of normal.
  • Severe, or stage 3: FEV1 is 30–50% of normal.
  • Very severe, or stage 4: FEV1 is less than 30% of normal.

The stages help describe the condition, but they cannot predict how long a person is likely to survive. Doctors can carry out other tests to learn more about how serious a person’s condition is.

In most cases, emphysema and COPD result from cigarette smoking. However, up to 25% of people with COPD have never smoked.

Other causes appear to be genetic factors, such as an alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and exposure to environmental irritants, including secondhand smoke, workplace pollutants, air pollution, and biomass fuels.

People with small airways in proportion to their lung size may be more at risk than those with wider airways, according to a 2020 study.

In addition, not all people who smoke develop emphysema. It may be that genetic factors make some people more susceptible to the condition.

Emphysema is not contagious. One person cannot catch it from another.

Treatment cannot cure emphysema, but it can help:

  • slow the progress of the condition
  • manage the symptoms
  • prevent complications
  • boost a person’s overall health and well-being

Supportive therapy includes oxygen therapy and help with quitting smoking.

The sections below will look at some specific treatment options in more detail.

Drug therapies

The main medications for emphysema are inhaled bronchodilators, which can help relieve symptoms. They relax and open the airways, making it easier for a person to breathe.

The inhaler delivers the following bronchodilators:

  • beta-agonists, which relax bronchial smooth muscle and help clear mucus
  • anticholinergics, or antimuscarinics, such as albuterol (Ventolin), which relax bronchial smooth muscle
  • inhaled steroids, such as fluticasone, which help reduce inflammation

If a person uses them regularly, these options can improve lung function and increase exercise capacity.

There are short-acting and long-acting drugs, and people can combine them. Treatment may also change over time and as the condition progresses.

Lifestyle therapies

People can take steps to manage their symptoms, improve their quality of life, and slow the progression of emphysema. The sooner a person takes these steps, the more helpful they will be.

Some things to try include:

  • quitting or avoiding smoking
  • avoiding places where there are air pollutants, if possible
  • following or developing an exercise program
  • consuming a healthful diet
  • drinking plenty of water, to loosen mucus and help keep the airways open
  • breathing through the nose in cold weather or using a face covering to keep out cold air
  • practicing diaphragmatic breathing, pursed-lip breathing, and deep breathing

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program of care that encourages people with emphysema to learn about and manage their condition. There is a focus on developing and maintaining healthful lifestyle choices.

Making these changes may not alter the overall course of the condition, but it can help people manage the symptoms, improve their exercise capacity, and boost their quality of life.

People should also ensure that they meet with their healthcare provider regularly and receive their routine vaccinations, including those for flu and pneumonia.

Oxygen therapy

In time, breathing can become more difficult, and a person may need oxygen therapy some or all of the time. Some people use oxygen overnight, for example.

Various devices are available, including large tanks for home use and portable oxygen kits for traveling.

People should discuss the most suitable options with their healthcare provider.

Surgery

People with severe emphysema may sometimes need to undergo surgery to remove damaged lung tissue and reduce large spaces that develop in the lungs due to the condition.

Transplantation of one or both lungs can improve a person’s quality of life. However, there are some risks involved, such as the chance of infection.

A healthcare provider will help the person decide whether or not surgery is a good idea for them.

Treating exacerbations

Other treatment options can help during a flare-up or if complications arise. These options may include:

  • oxygen therapy, to relieve worsening symptoms
  • antibiotics, to treat a bacterial infection
  • corticosteroid drugs, to reduce inflammation
  • other medications, to relieve severe coughing and pain

The outlook for a person with emphysema will depend on individual factors and how well they manage their condition. It takes several years to progress to the final stages of COPD or emphysema, but lifestyle factors play a role.

Quitting smoking can significantly improve the outlook. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, COPD can progress quickly in people with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency who also smoke.

Research suggests that for those who have never smoked, COPD will modestly reduce their life span. People who do smoke, however, can expect their life span to be significantly shorter.

Emphysema and COPD affect not only life span, but also a person’s quality of life. Taking lifestyle measures to manage the condition can help a person maintain a good quality of life for longer.

How does COPD affect life expectancy? Learn more here.

Emphysema is a type of COPD, and there are different types of emphysema, depending on which part of the lungs it affects.

These are:

  • paraseptal emphysema
  • centrilobular emphysema, which affects mainly the upper lobes and is most common in people who smoke
  • panlobular emphysema, which affects both the paraseptal and centrilobular areas of the lungs

During diagnosis, a CT scan can show which type of emphysema is present. The type does not affect the outlook and treatment.

A doctor will carry out a physical examination and ask about the person’s symptoms, lifestyle habits, and medical history.

They may also recommend tests to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other conditions.

If the person has never smoked but appears to have emphysema, the doctor may suggest testing for an alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

The following sections will look at some diagnostic tests for emphysema in more detail.

Lung function tests

Lung function tests measure the lungs’ capacity to exchange respiratory gases. They can:

  • confirm a diagnosis of emphysema
  • monitor disease progression
  • assess response to treatment

Spirometry is one type of lung function test. It assesses airflow obstruction by measuring FEV.

For this test, a person blows as fast and hard as they can into a tube. The tube is attached to a machine that measures the volume and speed of the air that they blow out. FEV1 determines the stages of emphysema.

Other tests

Other tests include imaging, such as a chest X-ray or CT scan of the lungs, and arterial blood gas analysis, to assess oxygen exchange and carbon dioxide levels.

Avoiding or quitting smoking is the best way to prevent emphysema from developing or getting worse.

Other strategies include:

  • eating a healthful diet
  • establishing and maintaining a moderate weight
  • avoiding air pollution, if possible
  • taking steps to prevent infection, such as receiving routine vaccinations

Emphysema involves irreversible damage to the lungs, which can eventually be life threatening. It mostly affects people who smoke, but people who do not smoke can develop it, too.

Seeking early treatment and taking measures to manage the condition can help enhance a person’s health and well-being and may improve their life span.

first symptoms, diagnosis, prognosis — “Sensitive”

Pulmonary pathology, in which there is a violation of lung ventilation and blood circulation is called emphysema. Men are most susceptible to the disease, however, in women, emphysema can develop against a background of hormonal imbalance. The disease is complex, dangerous due to its complications, often causes death, therefore, at the first symptoms, it is necessary to contact a pulmonologist in Yeysk to be examined

Symptoms of emphysema

Emphysema develops gradually, and as it develops, the chest and intercostal spaces expand. In addition, the following symptoms appear and progress:

  • cyanosis (blue) of the nail plates, tip of the nose, earlobes;
  • shortness of breath with difficult expiration;
  • noticeable tension of the muscles of the diaphragm during inspiration;
  • swelling of the veins of the neck;
  • weight loss;
  • pain in the right hypochondrium;
  • when coughing, the person’s face becomes pink, a small amount of sputum is separated.

Over time, the patient’s neck becomes shorter, the chest takes on a rounded shape, and the supraclavicular fossae protrude strongly, the abdomen sags.

Classification and causes of emphysema

The most difficult to treat is primary emphysema, which occurs due to congenital abnormalities in the body. In newborns, it may appear due to obstruction of one of the bronchi. Secondary emphysema is a milder form, and at first it can even occur without obvious symptoms, the patient comes to the appointment already when the disease has become chronic.

Tuberculosis can cause emphysema, a patchy variety that causes parenchymal changes around TB lesions. Senile emphysema occurs as a result of the appearance of age-related changes in blood vessels and a deterioration in the elasticity of the walls of the alveoli.

Diagnosis of emphysema

If emphysema is suspected, the respiratory function should be examined first. Several methods are used for this.

1.Peakflowmetry: carried out using a peakflowmeter that the patient breathes into at rest. The result will help to assess how narrowed the bronchi are, and according to this data, the doctor can conclude whether we are talking about emphysema, or whether the patient has bronchial asthma or bronchitis.

  1. Spirometry: diagnostic for measuring the respiratory volume of the lungs, also performed using special equipment.
  2. X-ray: allows you to see the cavities in the pulmonary regions, and when the dome of the diaphragm moves and its seal, it is possible to determine the increase in lung volume as a result of the pathologist.

Treatment of pulmonary emphysema

Treatment is prescribed by a pulmonologist in Yeysk at the Sensitive clinic. First of all, the primary disease is treated, due to which emphysema began, in this case, a course of antibiotics is possible. Bronchodilators are also prescribed in the form of tablets or inhalations. Oxygen therapy has proven itself well, which will definitely be supplemented with diuretics later.

Other articles:

causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Often a person, having made a fluorography for prophylactic purposes, receives a conclusion: “Emphysema of the lungs”, which causes a lot of different emotions – from bewilderment (“Where did this come from? I feel good!”) To panic (“They die from this ?!”) .

Emphysema (Greek for “inflate”) is a pathological expansion of the lung sacs (alveoli) and adjacent parts of the respiratory tract (distal bronchioles), as a result of which the lungs become excessively “bloated”.

Causes of emphysema

More often, chronic emphysema disease occurs in smokers as one of the manifestations of obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Tobacco smoke destroys the walls of the alveoli, resulting in air bubbles (bulls) appearing instead of the “brush of grapes” with which healthy lungs are often compared. And if we remember that oxygen from the inhaled air enters the body through the wall of the alveoli, then as the area of ​​the alveolar walls decreases, the supply of oxygen to the bloodstream decreases. According to the same mechanisms, pulmonary emphysema can also develop in people who have long-term contact with industrial smoke and some gaseous substances.

Less commonly, emphysema is congenital as a result of certain genetic abnormalities (alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Marfan syndrome, etc. ). In such cases, emphysema may affect only one lung or even part of it. In this case, a person does not always experience shortness of breath, because the undamaged part of the lungs functions well and provides the body with enough oxygen.

Symptoms of emphysema

For many years, emphysema may not cause pathological sensations in a person or be manifested by slight shortness of breath during heavy physical exertion (running, carrying heavy loads, climbing stairs 4-5 floors and above). However, if the disease-causing effect on the lungs continues (smoking, work in hazardous production), shortness of breath gradually progresses and begins to be felt with a lower level of physical activity, and then at rest. As a rule, it is the appearance of shortness of breath during “habitual”, everyday physical activity – walking at a fast pace or uphill, climbing stairs, etc. – becomes the main symptom of emphysema and the reason for the patient to see a doctor.

With bullous emphysema, pneumothorax can occur – a rupture of an air bladder (bulla), as a result of which air from the lung tissue enters the pleural cavity and “squeezes” the lung. In this condition, a person experiences a sudden deterioration in well-being: chest pains appear, aggravated by deep breathing, shortness of breath appears or intensifies. Pneumothorax is often the first manifestation of bullous emphysema and requires immediate hospitalization of the patient in a hospital, because the progressive accumulation of air in the pleural cavity can cause displacement of the heart and other vital organs of the chest.

How to make a diagnosis?

“Seeing” emphysema is not easy. Common methods for examining the lungs – fluorography, radiography – are not designed to diagnose emphysema, therefore, based on them, it is impossible to reliably judge this disease.

To identify emphysema, you need:

  • computed tomography of the lungs (CT), which allows not only to detect bullae, but also to assess the density of lung tissue if diffuse emphysema is suspected.
  • lung function studies – measurements of lung volumes (by body plethysmography) and lung diffusion capacity (that is, the ability of the lungs to pass oxygen from the inhaled air into the blood).
  • An essential addition to the diagnosis are stress tests, which allow to identify disorders that occur against the background of physical activity and are absent at rest. For this purpose, the 6-minute walk test is most often used.

If there is a suspicion of congenital emphysema, the doctor may refer the patient to appropriate genetic studies or to determine the concentration of alpha-1 antitrypsin in the blood.

If emphysema is suspected, we will carry out all the necessary lung examinations within one day! All you have to do is visit our pulmonologist.

Treatment of emphysema

Treatment for emphysema, like any other disease, depends on its cause. First of all, we must strive to eliminate the cause that caused the destruction of the lungs: the smoker must stop smoking, it is desirable for workers in “harmful” industries to change their working conditions.

Further treatment tactics are determined by the doctor. If certain abnormalities are detected during the study of pulmonary function (with emphysema, bronchial obstruction is more common), it is advisable to prescribe bronchodilator drugs that will improve lung function and reduce shortness of breath. In some cases, especially in the presence of large bullae, it is recommended to resort to the help of a thoracic surgeon and remove the bullae or individual areas of the lung with the most pronounced emphysematous changes.

In any case, physical rehabilitation is of great importance – a variety of physical exercises aimed at strengthening the muscles of the chest, abdominals, and shoulder girdle. In addition to general physical exercises, it is recommended to use special simulators that strengthen the respiratory muscles. Such physical training with regular exercises helps to reduce shortness of breath even in patients with a significant decrease in lung function.

In case of severe impairment of lung function, oxygen therapy and / or non-invasive ventilation of the lungs are added to drug treatment, which can be carried out not only in a hospital setting, but also at home.

With the ineffectiveness of the maximum complex of therapeutic measures, it is possible to perform transplantation (transplantation) of the lungs.

Our specialists

Chikina Svetlana Yurievna

Candidate of Medical Sciences, pulmonologist of the highest category. Official physician expert of congresses of the Russian Federation in pulmonology.

more than 30 years

Kuleshov Andrey Vladimirovich

Chief physician, candidate of medical sciences, pulmonologist, somnologist, member of the European Respiratory Society (ERS).

Work experience 26 years

Meshcheryakova Natalya Nikolaevna

Candidate of Medical Sciences, pulmonologist of the highest category, associate professor of the Department of Pulmonology named after. N.I. Pirogov.

Work experience 26 years

Nikitina Natalia Vladimirovna

Deputy. chief physician, pulmonologist, allergist of the highest category. Full member of the European Academy of Allergology and Immunology.